Gender peculiarities of self-image perception by students

The paper analyzes the gender peculiarities of the perception of the body and appearance by university students. The study identifies and describes the cognitive, affective and conative components of the physical self-concept. By comparing male attitudes with female ones to his/her body and appearance, the author concludes that they differ in shaping their appearance, the perception of their physique, the expressiveness of their behavior. Based on the interview results, the research reveals the strategies for transforming the respondents’ appearance. Unrealistic and pharmacological strategies refer to the passive strategy of changing one’s body; natural and style strategies are regarded as an active one. The propensity of males and females for one or another strategy is analyzed. The differences in choosing the active strategies (natural and style) by boys and girls are revealed.